X Announces Exclusive Content Deal with the WWE

X has introduced a brand new, unique content material cope with the WWE, including extra video programming into its rising slate of exhibits.

As per the announcement, WWE will air a brand new, weekly present on X which is able to function timed matches between in style WWE stars.

That would deliver a number of WWE followers to the app, relying on which stars are included on this program. X has additionally famous that in 2023, dialog about wrestling elevated 11% year-over-year.

I imply, it’s tough to quantify these outcomes precisely, as X appears to have modified a few of its measurements, however WWE is clearly in style within the app, with 13.7 million customers following the principle WWE account.

As famous, the brand new program will add to X’s rising slate of authentic content material, because it strikes to grow to be a “video first platform”.

Up to now, X has signed unique video content material offers with:

• Paris Hilton, on a but to be introduced venture
• Tucker Carlson, whose interviews are commonly producing hundreds of thousands of views within the app
• Don Lemon, who’ll start airing his new “Don Lemon Present” quickly
• Tulsi Gabbard, who’s creating a sequence of documentary-style packages centered on U.S. politics
• Jim Rome, who’s bringing his in style “The Jungle” present to the app, airing 5 occasions every week

Along with this, X can also be working to incentivize high on-line creators to put up to the app by way of improved advert income share offers, which it’s at present testing with YouTube star MrBeast, who’s re-posted a few of his clips on X.

Provided that MrBeast generates nearly all of his revenue from YouTube, I don’t anticipate him to make the swap to X solely, although having any of his content material within the app provides to its programming slate, and X will likely be hoping that he could make sufficient advert income within the app to then pique the curiosity of different creators.

Controversial podcast host Joe Rogan can also be trying to re-share his content material to X, which may embody video of his broadcasts, whereas it could even be noteworthy that Elon Musk will reportedly be a visitor of UFC CEO Dana White at this weekend’s “UFC Apex” in Las Vegas.

So whereas it might not be a killer slate of other video content material as but, X is constructing out its roster over time, whereas it’s additionally experimenting with a brand new, devoted video tab within the app which may assist to additional spotlight its programming.

In fact, Twitter earlier than Elon additionally tried this identical method, with blended outcomes.

Again in 2016, Twitter made a giant push on TV-like content material, signing unique contracts with the MLB, NFL, and NBA to broadcast video games immediately within the app. That was a part of a broader effort to attach the rise in reside occasion tweeting with the supply materials. Twitter’s analysis had proven that it was the highest vacation spot for on-line engagement round reside sports activities occasions and TV packages, and its view had been that if it may mix the 2, it will then be capable to construct an leisure powerhouse, capitalizing on each the content material and the dialog in a single stream.

Nevertheless it didn’t work.

For no matter motive, customers weren’t overly enamored by having tweets and the present operating side-by-side, which may come all the way down to the truth that solely a comparatively small variety of individuals really use Twitter, so limiting the content material to a smaller viewers by bringing in app decreased general engagement.

Issues, nevertheless, have modified since.

Social platforms at the moment are greater sources of leisure in their very own proper, versus simply the associated dialogue, and perhaps, provided that extra persons are consuming extra content material direct in social apps, the time is now proper for X to make this new push, which may present considerably greater promoting alternatives.

Signing controversial content material additionally helps to spice up Elon’s “free speech” agenda within the app, and it does appear to be X will likely be trying to play an even bigger function in political dialogue throughout the upcoming election cycle by way of its video programming.

I assume, the query then will likely be what occurs after, particularly if advertisers proceed to avoid the app.

Elon’s long-held view is that it doesn’t actually matter what he says, or what anybody else shares within the app, as long as it brings individuals in, as a result of whereas companies are eager to behave principled on sure issues, all they actually care about is their very own backside line. And if X can get to, say, a billion customers, they’ll should promote within the app, whether or not they prefer it or not, as a result of the viewers attain will merely be too huge to disregard, if X can win over that type of consideration.

It nonetheless appears unlikely that X can do this, however the X staff will likely be hoping that this new unique content material push would be the key to creating this a actuality, drawing in so many viewers throughout so many subject areas that it’ll merely grow to be too compelling a draw for advert companions.

Once more, previous expertise doesn’t bode effectively for this technique, and X’s resolution to deal with sure broadcasters and content material may restrict its potential both method.

However that’s the hope, and including an unique WWE program into the combination is actually a optimistic step.